Redemption
by Laneyk
Summary: What if Shane didn't die that night? What if he escaped and went on to meet Iphigenia Peters, a woman who made him question everything? I do not own anything from the Walking Dead. Shane and OC
1. Chapter 1

"_Now listen to me Shane." Rick was talking to him, but Shane could not hear him over the pounding of blood in his ears. His heart was going a million miles a minute, and he was breathing heavily._

" _There is still a way back from this. Nothing has happened here. We're gonna lay down our guns. And we're gonna walk back to the farm, together. Back to Lori. Back to Carl. Put this all behind us." Shane began to lower his gun, doubt seeping into his brain. They could go back to the way it was, couldn't they? Before he let this vengeful monster take over? _

_Rick snaked his hand back to the knife, he had in his belt, slowly brandishing it. He could see Shane lowering his defenses. He slowly began to raise it…._

"_DAD!" Carl's shout startled them both. They turned._

"_Walkers!" Carl pointed past them to a herd of about fifty. Shane and Rick looked back at each other. Shane noticed the glint of metal in the moonlight. He began to shake his head, tears seeping out of his eyes. _

"_No, no, no. You didn't mean it!" Shane shouted, raising his weapon again. He began to weigh his options. Kill Rick and take on the walkers. Take off with both his and Rick's gun into the night, with little chance of being followed. Shane chose the latter. He began to take off, but before he did, he looked to Carl._

"_I'm sorry." He said._

Gena was running. She had been for hours, maintaining a steady pace that she learned back in high school on the cross country team. She could hear the walkers closing in behind her, but that didn't concern her as much as the sigh ahead did: she saw a house.

It was a weathered two story, painted in a forest green. There was a garden running on the side, trying valiantly to produce some tomatoes. The house, while astonishing to see in the middle of a nowhere like this, was not what she was focused on: there were lights inside. She could make out a lamp shining through a boarded up window on the second floor. Lights meant people, and people had the potential to help.

Gena was so focused on running she forgot to look down, where a line of razor wire with bells attached ran. She tripped, feeling the skewers dig into her legs, past skin and lodging into the muscle. The bells beat at an obnoxious rhythm, stirring the walkers into even more of a frenzy. Gena saw the light in the house turn off.

"No, no, Lord, please no!" Gena frantically pulled the wire out of her shin, biting down on her lip at the pain. About five walkers were coming out of the bush and into the clearing, much too close for comfort. Gena stood up and hitched her bags over her shoulder, hobbling the rest of the way. She cursed her dimming vision and the biting pain in her legs. She would _not _pass out; she would _not _give up when she was so close to salvation.

Finally, she reached the front porch. Sinking to the ground, she began to bang on the door.

"Hello?! Somebody, please help. PLEASE!" Gena could feel herself slipping in and out of consciousness. Her frantic pounding on the door turned into faint raps. She saw the door open, and she was dragged into the house. A man in jeans and a black shirt put his hand over her mouth.

"Shut UP. You want any more to hear you? Jesus, there's already a herd forming outside."

"I'm sorry. I just…." Gena felt a slap on her face, startling her enough to finish her sentence.

"I need help. I just need to stay for one night, one night. I swear, I will leave after."

"Uh-uh. No way. Now get up, you're gonna get out through the back."

She felt the man pull on her arms. Even though she was telling her body to get up, she felt herself finally sink into the warm oblivion of sheer exhaustion.

"Please. If you have any humanity left…" her last words came out as a whisper.

Shane stared at the woman lying in his kitchen. Of course, any speck of trouble within a fifty mile radius seemed to find its way to him. He stared over the girl, hands on his hips. _If you have any humanity left…._Shane had humanity all right. What he was lacking in was morals. _Still, _he reasoned with himself, she's in bad shape. _The worst, it seems like. She could use a nice bed and a warm meal. After, you can send her on her way._ Shane picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder, surprised at how light her form was. He carried her up the stairs without a problem and dumped her in the bedroom across from his. He undressed her, throwing her clothes in a pile to be dealt with later. Shane took his time looking at her. She was probably in her mid-twenties, on the shorter side and with curly brown hair. She was emaciated, so thin that he could count her ribs. Her feet were caked in blood and blisters, probably from wearing too small shoes. Her arms held countless scrapes and bruises, normal for being in the bush for a long time. Her legs were bleeding from his razor wire and her face about as much color as a piece of paper. Shane questioned why he was even taking this on. _Because, _a small voice whispered, _you may be many things, but you are still a cop. _

Gena woke up to the smell of food wafting from downstairs and sunlight in her eyes. She snuggled deeper into the covers and smiled softly. _Mom's just putting on the bacon. Dad'll be reading the paper, and Dolly will be chewing on an old tennis ball._ But as she came back into consciousness, she realized that it was all wishful thinking.

Gena slowly sat up, mindful of her swimming head, and looked around the room. It seemed to be a guest room, with frayed pink wallpaper and stitched pictures with happy sayings like "Home is where the heart is" scattered about. She lay in a queen bed in the middle, covered by a white comforter. She felt the wind on her body and quickly pulled the sheet up, looking for her clothing. She was exposed and defenseless in a home of somebody she didn't even know, and she had no one to blame but herself.

Before she could get up, she heard steps on the stairs. She put her head on the pillow and shut her eyes tight.

"Might as well open them. I know you're up."Gena looked up to see a man standing by the side of the bed, scowling. He was tall, with dark brown eyes and a strong nose. Attractive, she thought fleetingly.

"Where am I?"

"You're in my house. You came traipsing in two nights ago and collapsed in my kitchen. You've been sleeping ever since."

"Sleeping?"

"Yeah. You had a rough go of it." Gena smiled inwardly; if he only had an idea.

"Wanna tell me your name?" He asked.

"Iphigenia Peters. Yours?"

"Iphigenia?" He pronounced it like Iffy-geena. She smiled, used to the confusion. It slowly faded when she realized he wasn't going to return it.

"Iffy-jenIa. My parents were scholars." She said in way of explanation. "You can call me Gena. Yours?" She asked again, not missing that he bypassed that inquiry.

"Not important. How long have you been on your own, Gena?"

"Long enough." She replied. _Two can play that game,_ she thought.

"What happened to the people you were with?"

"I broke off. Didn't agree with the leader's practices."

"And what practices were that?"

"Rape." Gena held the man's eye until he looked away.

"Well, I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be; I was lucky enough to leave in time."

"So you've been off by yourself for what? A month? With nothing but a change of clothes and a bag of books to sustain yourself?"

"You went through my stuff?"

The man sat there, not looking the least apologetic. Gena conceded, reasoning that it was only fair.

"About a month. And I had food and other supplies, but the cans ran out and my tent was ransacked by walkers. I was on the road for about a week before I came to this place."

"Jesus. One the road for a week with no weapon. Either you're lucky or just plain stupid."

Gena hitched her chin. "If we're done with twenty questions, I'd like to dress." She said coolly. The man just smiled and hitched his chin to the bedside table.

"Burned your clothes. Nothing but a pile of rags anyway. Those should fit; there seemed to a girl of your age living here as well."

"I'm twenty four, not much of a girl anymore."

"Hon, with your stature you look sixteen."

Gena glared and pointed at the door. He just smiled and walked out casually.

"Food's ready when you are. Call me Shane." He called over his shoulder.

_Shane it is._

"The clothes do fit, thank you." Gena broke the silence after they finished their stew. Gena had three bowls, Shane.

Shane grunted and went back to cleaning his gun. Gena took their bowls and placed them in the sink, unsure of how he would wash them. She rubbed her hands, then leaned back on the counter.

"So, what does a girl do for fun around here?" She joked.

"The shower upstairs works. Should be enough hot water." Shane did not even look up. Gena was confused; where was the man who conversed so easily before?

"Great thank you. Afterward, do you mind if I look at your garden?" Shane grunted.

Gena headed towards the stairs, but stopped at the landing. "Why are you doing this, Shane? You seem to have a good routine going on here. Why help me out?"

Silence.

"Shane?" She prompted. He put down the gun and turned toward her, his profile shadowed.

"Haven't you been told to not look a gift horse in the mouth?" He replied harshly. Gena narrowed her eyes, but thought better of it; he did have a point. Besides, she had a hot shower to look forward to. She hastened up the steps.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Shane and Gena began to settle into an unspoken routine. Shane would get up with the sun, make breakfast, then go off to do his own work, fixing up the ATV he found or checking his traps. Gena would rise around eight, eat the breakfast he left aside for her, and work until the garden until noon. Luckily, Gena had brought her father's gardening almanac, and slowly she brought the tomatoes back from the dead. She also nursed some okra and summer squash she discovered growing in the next rows over; the prior owners of this house must have had a green thumb.

At noon, they would both come back inside and Gena would fix lunch, typically canned beans or other nonperishable delicacies cooked on the camper stove Shane had set up. She always felt a pang of guilt when she opened the pantry and saw Shane's food supply rapidly slipping, but Gena rationalized that if he wanted her gone, he would tell her to get; besides, she was pulling her own weight.

After lunch, she would work around the house while Shane would do scavenging runs. She learned how to do laundry without modern appliances, washing in the downstairs tub and hanging on a clothesline out back. Finally, dinner would come around; Gena started to make it around five so she would always have it ready by the time Shane came back from his runs. Dinner was Gena's favorite time. The night would come around and calm the atmosphere, waking the cicadas and quieting the birds. It was almost peaceful. Gena could always get Shane to talk more around this time.

"Find anything?" She asked from the stove when Shane came in. The duffel bag looked suspiciously empty.

"Nah. Any place within a fifteen mile radius is cleaned out. Thinking about taking the ATV further out tomorrow to see if there's anything."

Gena nodded. She was nervous about him being gone for so long, even if she was perfectly safe. The idea of being alone left her smarting, but damned if she told him that. Lord knows he had already done enough for her. She placed a bowl of rice and beans in front of him and got him a glass of water from their reservoir.

"So what about you?" She asked after she had finished eating. "Did you ever have a group?"

Shane looked up at her briefly. "Once. Long time ago though."

"What happened?"

"I left. They kicked me out. It was a mutual parting."

"May I ask why?" Gena gently prodded.

Shane stopped eating. "I did some shitty things. Really shitty things. Stuff I'm not proud of. Stuff I wish I could take back." He looked off into the distance and scoffed.

"Thought I was in love with a woman. Thought that if I could just remove these obstacles in my path, then we could be together. It wasn't until much later that I realized I was in love with the idea of her." Shane lost the faraway look in his eyes. Gena couldn't help but think of the woman he had loved; where was she now?

"What about you? What happened with your group?" Shane asked a little while later. Gena rose and collected the dishes.

"We met up just outside of Newnan, where I was staying with family when the epidemic hit. It was a pack of six, three girls and three guys. The leader was Francis, a corporate drone who thought himself something of a Rambo. I couldn't stand his ego but I stayed with him because he did have some good ideas once and awhile." Gena thought of Francis's soft face, his chin hidden in a layer of fat. [Come on, Gena. Just a little kiss. I deserve it!] Gena shied away from that memory and kept talking, her hand moving in a rhythmic motion on the plate as she washed.

"Well, one time we found a house that had two men living in it. Hunters, they seemed like. They invited us in and gave us a place to sleep. However, when they were gone Francis began to rant about how it was our right to own this place, how we should steal it from them and kick them out. I argued, got slapped, then Francis began to think he could take something that wasn't his. He dragged me outside. The damn other four just stood there, ignoring my screams. Fortunately, the hunters came back before he could….I ran away why they beat him up and was running ever since." Gena wiped a tear that came from the corner of her eye. She jumped when she felt Shane's hand on her shoulder, turning her. His other hand came under her chin, lifting her face.

"I'm sorry, Genie. This leader Francis sounds like a coward and an asshole. If I had been there, I would've…" Gena watched a dark shadow pass over his face. She knew where his thoughts were going and she tried to redirect them. She put a hand on his chest.

"Hey. It's ok. I've moved on, it's made me stronger." She smiled. "I'm fine. No harm no foul." Shane looked back at her. They seemed to realize their closeness, yet neither moved. Gena felt his heart beat pick up. She gulped and licked her lips. Shane watched the action. He cocked his head, coming closer. Gena closed her eyes

The sound of ringing bells came crashing in. Shane jumped back and grabbed his rifle from the table.

"Stay inside." He said, brushing past her. Gena looked out the window. Five walkers were ambling outside and Shane was heading right towards them. She flinched when he bashed their heads in with the butt of his gun. His violence seemed to intensify with each hit. She looked back down at the sink and thought of what was about to happen. Shane was going to kiss her. And she had wanted him to. Right? Gena was never one to have men at her doorstep; she was always too invested in her reading to go and socialize. Yet Gena knew that she was attracted to Shane, and he to her. But he seemed skittish, like he wasn't ready to take another step. _And that's fine._ Gena told herself. The last thing she needed was added drama in her life. _Let it go, Gena. _She told herself. Still, she couldn't stop thinking of his hand on her shoulder, the way his muscles felt under her hand. _Stop it._ She shook herself and pulled the stopper from the sink.

The next day, Gena saw even less of Shane than she normally did. She figured he was hiding out from the events of last night. _Nothing happened,_ she reasoned._ I can be the mature one in this situation._ She went on with her morning as usual; some of the squash and tomatoes were ready to be plucked, so she took a couple and went inside to wash them.

Humming an old Ella Fitzgerald song to herself, she opened the door and backed into the room.

" Need help with that?" She gasped and turned. Shane was near the sink, shirtless and holding his hand over his arm.

"Uh, no. I'm fine. What happened to your arm?" Blood was spilling through his fingers.

"Cut myself trying to hang some razor wire. It's just a little cut."

"Yeah, a little cut on infected, dirty razor wire that seems to be bleeding profusely. Let me have a look."

She carefully set the vegetables on the table and walked over. The wound was a single gash running the length of his forearm.

"Well, luckily for you, it's a shallow cut." She reached across him for the soap.

"So I get to keep the arm?" He joked. She smiled.

"Maybe just this once." She put his arm in the water and ran the soap over the cut. He was admirably silent as she was the wound firmly. Once it was clean, she took some strips of clean fabric and tied it around his arm. While she was doing this, she couldn't help but looking at his chest. Perfectly muscled. [Figures] He had a tattoo on the left side of his chest that read "Little Bird". She was tempted to ask him, but she decided against it. He always got cranky when she asked him personal questions.

"There you go. You should be fine, just make sure you wash it good tonight."

"Thanks Doc." She smiled at him, and he reached across for his shirt.

"Be careful out there." She called as he walked outside.

"Always." He called back.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The days were starting to get shorter, the sun setting before seven. Gena knew it was getting time to move on. She had to get to Thomasville before the winter truly set in, leaving her stuck here for months on end. Still, she was going to miss this place. It was a homely place, yet it had settled into her heart.

The house was small, with the family room and kitchen on the first floor, the bedrooms on the second. The paint, while faded, was a cheery yellow and love had been etched into every aspect of the home. Gena sat in the living room, nestled in the old couch and looking out the window. The day was ending, and the sun was setting over the trees. Gena drank in the quiet, unsure when it was going to happen again.

"Gena?" Shane called, entering the house.

"Back here."

He came around and sat next to her on the couch. He began to dissemble a gun, cleaning it.

"What're doing?" He asked after a minute of silence.

"Just taking it all in. I finished with the chores early and thought I would take a break."

Shane nodded and went back to his cleaning. Gena turned and began to watch him. His eyes seemed to narrow in concentration, his lips thinning as he manipulated a stuck piece. She watched his muscles move under the shirt, his biceps bunching and then settling. Gena licked her lips.

"How'd you get a name like Iphigenia anyway?" Shane asked, unaware of her staring. Gena coughed like a guilty lecher and turned back away.

"My dad specialized in Greek mythology. He came across this story one time. King Agamemnon was in the Trojan War and he needed to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, in order to appease Artemis and propel his army in the war. He tricked his daughter into thinking she was marrying a great warrior, but she soon found out. Anyway, long story short, instead of being forced as a sacrifice she went as a willing victim to the altar. She sacrificed herself for her country."

"Sounds depressing."

"Yeah. Some say she was saved by a deer just in time. But I kind of like being named after a woman who had the balls to sacrifice herself for something she believed in."

Shane looked at her, head cocked. He looked like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. She smiled looked back out the window. He went back to cleaning his gun.

Gena thought of her family. It had just been the three, four including their lab Dolly, since the start. Her mother Jana-Louise was a Georgia native that specialized in Victorian literature. She was a knockout, with red hair and blue eyes, speaking in her soft Georgia drawl. Her father Max was a lanky Boston man who studied Greek mythology. He had a way of speaking that could anyone excited about what he was talking about; a vital asset as a college professor. He had met her mother when they were studying abroad in London_. Love at first sight_, they had said. Gena had grown up in the small southern town, Thomasville, commuting about an hour to go to Florida State University every day with her parents. She used to feel embarrassed that she still lived at home, but she would give anything for those days. Gena knew she had to leave and make sure they were all right. If they weren't, then Gena would figure something else out. But she had to try.

The next day at dinner, Gena broke the news.

"I'm going to have to get going soon, Shane. I want to try to beat winter." She watched Shane closely. His shoulders tensed and he put his fork down, looking up at her.

"I'm trying to get to Thomasville, which is at least a week's walk staying on the roads."

"Yeah? And what about staying off the roads? How the hell are you gonna find your way to Thomasville with just the clothes on your back and a pile of books?"

"Well, I was going to ask if I could take some clothes."

"What about food? Water? You wanna take all of those of too?"

"…I could go on scavenging runs with you?"

"And get eaten alive by walkers? I don't think so."

"I don't remember asking for your permission." Gena's voice began to rise and she could feel her feathers being ruffled.

"Well, what exactly are you going to do? Waltz into the town? That's ridiculous."

"No! But you seem to forget that I was on my own for a while, and I did just fine!"

"And by just fine, you mean collapsing on my doorstep."

"That was hardly the result of my own stupidity! I had no choice but to leave!"

"Yes, but maybe along the way you could've taken better care of yourself!"

"You have no idea what I faced out there!"

"You're right! That's why I won't let you go out there! If you get hurt, I won't be able to help you!"

Gena banged her hands on the table and stood up, dumping the dishes in the sink and turning to go upstairs. She praised herself on being hard to anger, but Shane pushed her buttons like no one else.

"And now you're gonna stalk off like a spoiled teenager."

Gena whirled around. "No, I'm restraining myself from kicking your ass!"

Shane burst out laughing. Gena charged at him, pushing his chest.

"What you think I can't do it?! I was a green belt in tae-kwon-do when I was thirteen!"

Shane laughed harder. Gena pushed him for real, and he got hold of her upper arms, trapping her arms on his chest. She pouted, then immediately smoothed her expression, embarrassed.

Shane finally quieted. "I can't let you go, Genie. You're gonna get hurt and I won't be able to do anything about it." Gena looked up at his face, holding eye contact. She was touched by his words, and they warmed her heart; but she couldn't let Shane see this in her face when she was trying to convince him.

"Come with me then. We don't need to stay there; I just want to see my old home. I want to see if anyone survived. Please, Shane." Shane seemed to analyze her face and sighed. He stepped away.

"Let me think on it. I'll have an answer tomorrow."

Gena nodded, and then walked upstairs. She took a hot shower in the old tub, grimacing when she realized she soon will have to go without. She stepped out, wrapped herself in a towel and walked outside.

She stopped short when she saw Shane leaning on her bedroom door. She barely stopped herself from pulling down on the hem; she suddenly felt the draft across her skin, kissing the tops of her breasts.

"I'll go with you. But we're gonna do it my way."

"That didn't take too long."

"What can I say?" Shane said, running his eyes over her body. Gena felt hot wherever his eyes touched.

"You convinced me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

They began preparations for their trip. She was toeing the line when it came to over packing, but she would rather deal with the extra weight than the idea of going without. She packed three extra sets of clothes, as well as a pair of fashionable boots she had found in the teen's room. They looked expensive, but luckily the heel wasn't too high so they were still useful. She collected some linen and rolled them into tight balls, cramming them into the packs as well. Gena gathered all of the canned food from the pantry and most of the vegetables. She began to boil water in two oversized pots, pouring them into a hodge podge of containers she had found lying around. Finally, she took out some of her books; the ones that weren't necessary to survival, like her romance novels; they were a guilty delight, but unfortunately they wouldn't do on the road._ [Besides,] _she thought, [_can you imagine if Shane caught you reading one?_] So, she lovingly tucked them under her bed, promising to return to them.

One day, Shane walked into the kitchen while she was cutting up some tomatoes for dinner. He leaned against the counter and watched her brush back her hair with the back of her hand. She smiled.

"What? Do I have tomato on my face or something?"

"No. I'm just gonna miss seeing this." Gena felt heat suffuse across her face and she looked down.

"Me too."

She saw tarnished boots come into her vision as Shane's feet moved into view. She felt his hand come and turn her face up. She met his eyes.

"You're a strong girl, Genie. I know you're worried about being on the road again, but we're gonna get through this together." Gena nodded. Shane enveloped her in his arms, cradling her head against the crook of his shoulder. Gena squeezed and breathed in deeply. She was not sure what brought along this wave of tenderness, but she was soaking it up for all it was worth.

Shane pulled away, and cleared his throat. "You good down here?"

"Yep, almost done."

"Good. I'm gonna go shower." Shane turned and walked up the stairs.

_Mind if I join you? _An impish voice thought. Gena laughed softly, and turned to go back to work.

Shane climbed into the shower, mindful of his still-healing arm. He wasn't quite sure why he hugged Gena. It had just seemed like the natural thing to do. He had gone inside, finished with killing some walkers, when he seen Gena at the sink, humming softly to herself. Her hair had softly curled from standing over boiling water all day, and she kept huffing and pushing it over her shoulder. She had gained weight since staying with him, and she had filled out nicely; her breasts were now more prominent, and Shane couldn't help but notice them under her worn chambray shirt. Her eyes, which shifted from brown to green in the proper light, were narrowed in on a juicy piece of tomato. When she saw him, she smiled, and the tension seeped from her shoulders. She had always been able to do that. If she had any idea what effect she had on him, then he would be in real trouble. He knew she was nervous about going out into the bush again; he saw the haunted look in her eyes. But she was too strong to let that faze her; she needed to get to her family, and so she would. Nothing was going to stop her. She was like her namesake, willing to sacrifice everything for something she loved. _Like Lori_, a voice whispered. Shane shoved that thought back. _Nothing like Lori_.

When he had left the group, he raged for days on end; he wasn't able to cope with the fact that his perceived family had been stolen out from under him. So he buried himself in killing walkers, no matter the cost. It wasn't until a month later he was able to step back from his rage. Slowly, he realized he had never truly loved Lori. He had loved the idea of being able to come home to a warm body at night, having someone who would always belong to him. For some reason unbeknownst to him, Gena seemed like the woman to do that. He didn't understand why, but he was grateful for it. But damned if he wasn't going to ruin this; damned if he ruined her.

The last night in the home, Gena and Shane feasted on whatever could not make it into the packs; peas, green beans, Vienna sausage, canned peaches. When they had eaten their fill Shane sat back on his chair and sighed, completely satisfied.

"That was the best meal I had in months." Gena smiled.

"I left another can of peaches for breakfast tomorrow. Figure we deserve it." Gena took up the dishes and rinsed them in the sink, laying them on a cloth to dry. When she turned, she saw Shane had laid out a map on the kitchen table.

"Are you mapping out where we're gonna go?"

"Yeah. How about you come over here and look at it." Gena wiped her hands on a towel and took a seat at the table. Shane leaned over her, one hand on the back of the chair and the other pointing on the map. Gena tuned into what he was saying.

"I figure we're about an hour North of La Grange, so that's about a 190 mile trip to Thomasville. However, we can't take the highway because of the damn herds, so we gotta take access roads. That's gonna add serious mileage to the trip."

"Have you ever seen a herd before?" Gena asked.

"Yeah. When I was with my old group, we ran into one just outside Atlanta. It was…bad. A little girl ended up being turned because of it."

"That's awful."

"Yeah. So I wanna avoid them at all costs."

"I agree."

Gena looked at the map. "Where do you think we are?"

Shane pointed to a spot of land. "Probably right around here."

Gena got up and started going through the drawers. When she found a suitable writing utensil, a red sharpie, she sat back down. She made a big X right where Shane's finger was.

"What's that for?"

"Well, we're coming back, right? I want to make sure we remember where it is." Gena looked up and smiled at Shane. He smiled back, a soft lifting of the corner of his lips. A moment of silence passed while they just looked at each other. Finally, Shane broke the silence.

"You got all the bags packed?"

Gena pointed to a pile near the door. There were about three duffel bags worth of supplies that Gena packed.

"I'm sorry I packed so much. I don't mind carrying most of it. I just didn't want to be unprepared."

"Hey, no worries. Besides, I've got something to show you." Shane stood and headed to the door, passing Gena a sharpened metal rod. They walked out into the cool night and headed across the yard, both of their eyes scanning for any movement. They stopped outside a barn that was partially hidden by the oak trees.

"Hold this." Shane passed her his gun. "Watch your back. I'll be right back." Gena turned and watched out while Shane disappeared behind the barn. It was a full moon that night, so Gena was able to see further than usual. It was a quiet night, with no walkers around. It was hardly a surprise; the house was in the middle of miles of forest, so the walkers didn't waste their time searching for food. It was only when they smelled weak prey, like Gena had been, do they try to venture into the brush.

Gena was startled when she heard the barn door screech open. She hopped out of the way when a car into view. It was an old Ford Excursion, jack up with serious tires and blacked out. The windows were so tinted she couldn't see inside and only heard Shane jump down from the driver's side.

"I found it a couple days back on the highway. It had just enough gas to get into the barn. Since then, I've been siphoning gas. We have enough gas in the trunk to get us halfway. After that, we're going to have to get more. What do you think?"

"I think it's pretty badass! And we don't have to walk 190 miles!" Gena clapped her hands and laughed. Shane smiled. "We can start loading it up. That way it will be ready to go."

"Perfect. I'll go get the stuff."

Gena woke up to someone lightly shaking her shoulder.

"Gena. It's time to go."

Gena groaned and rose from the bed, pushing back her hair. She blinked until Shane's face came into focus. She smiled sleepily. Shane rose from the bed and went back to the door. Gena noticed he was fully dressed in his customary khaki cargoes and black shirt.

"You might as well take a shower. It might be the last one in a last time. When you're done, breakfast's downstairs. I'm just closing up the house now, we'll be ready to go in an hour." Gena nodded, and Shane closed the door to give her privacy. She quickly stripped and wrapped herself in a towel, heading down the hallway.

She turned the shower faucet on, watching as the rust showerhead sent hot water down. _It truly was heaven_ she thought, climbing under the spray. She washed her hair, untangling the knots with her fingers, and ran a washcloth over her body. She had filled out with the daily three meals a day she was getting, and now her breasts had gone from apricots to apples. Her ass shaped out nicely as well, her jeans now fitting snugly and not falling down. _I wonder if Shane noticed_, she wondered. _He better have._

When she was done in the shower, she slipped on a pair of jeans, a tank, and a flannel button down. She laced up her old sneakers, grimacing when she saw their condition; they were falling apart, but she wasn't quite ready to wear the boots yet. When she was done dressing, she ruffled her hair with the towel and set it to hang up. She took a good look at the bathroom, then shut the door.

Downstairs, she scarfed down the peaches, not bothering to sit down at the table. When she was done, she rinsed the can thoroughly and put it in a bag under the sink. She began to make sure everything was put up in the kitchen; the plates were placed in their cabinets and the table got a final wipe-down. She saw Shane coming with boards to put up over the windows, and met him outside.

"Need any help?"

"Nah, I'm almost done. Wanna go through the house and see if you can find anything else we need?"

"Sure."

They hit the road around dawn. Shane was driving and Gena was snuggled up in the passenger's seat. She looked forlornly at the home. Shane saw her gaze.

"We're gonna be back, right?"

Gena nodded. "Right. I just hate goodbyes."

"You sure you're ready for this?" Shane looked at her, concerned.

Gena sat up in the seat. "Bring it on."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"It was obviously Purgatory. They all died in the crash." Shane said, cruising down a deserted road.

"You can't honestly think that!" Gena threw her hands in the air.

"How else would you explain it?"

"I don't know, maybe they actually DID experience everything that happened to them? No other theories needed?"

"What about the smoke monster then?"

"A supernatural incident."

"There's no such thing as incidents in the writer's room, Genie. Trust me, they don't leave loose ends in a show like _Lost._"

Gena huffed. "Then we're going to have to agree to disagree."

"Fine."

It was two days into the ride, and since there was nowhere for Shane to disappear to, Gena was starting to get to know him. Surprisingly, they had a lot in common: they both came from the South, listened country music as well as to older music (which had shocked Gena at first; Shane didn't look like a guy that could handle Ella Fitzgerald's crooning), and they both owned a dog before the outbreak; Shane, a German Sheppard named Ghost, and Gena a lab named Dolly. One thing, they could never agree on, however, were TV shows. It seemed to be the topic they most fought about. Gena couldn't help but bring it up; there was nothing more she loved than a healthy debate.

"What about How I Met Your Mother?" She asked, gearing up again.

"You do realize I was a police man, right? I barely have Tome to sleep, let alone watch sitcoms about a lovesick New Yorker that needed to get laid." Gena drew in breath to argue, but it came out in a rush when she noticed what was on the horizon.

"Shane! People!" She pointed to a couple waving a sheet alongside the road. Once they saw the SUV coming by, the man waved even harder. Shane passed them without slowing down.

"Shane? Why didn't you stop?" Gena looked out the back window. "They needed our help."

"We don't have the room."

"We have more than enough seats!"

"Yeah? And where are they gonna sleep? I don't suppose you packed enough food for two more people?"

"We can't just leave them there, Shane."

"Yes we can. I gotta do what's right by you, and bringing more people in isn't gonna help."

"Shane. Turn the car around. Please." His overbearing behavior was reminiscent of her past leader Francis, yet Gena didn't dare say that. She just sat silent while she watched Shane struggle with himself. Eventually, he finally stopped the car.

"Be careful what you wish for, Genie. Trust me when I say groups rarely work out." Then he put his hand on her seat and backed up. He stopped right in front of the two and got out.

"Stay here." He muttered, slipping his pistol into her hands. "Lock the door." Gena obeyed, and then swiveled in the seat to watch the interaction.

The couple seemed to be in their late teens or early twenties, most likely freshmen in college. The boy was tall and lanky, with short brown hair and blue eyes. His eyes, while somber, seemed to flash when he saw Shane walking up. He shifted discreetly in front of the girl, as if to protect her. The girl was tall and lithe, with straight red hair that when midway down her back and snapping green eyes. She devoured Shane with her eyes, drinking him in. Gena narrowed her eyes. She was starting to regret this decision. Even still, they couldn't just leave the two out there; while she might not like them, she didn't want them to die. She tuned into what Shane was barking at them.

"We're going to Thomasville. You can come, but we're not making any stops along the way. We'll give you a ride, but we aren't gonna provide you food or water. We also aren't gonna watch out for you. It's every man for himself out here. That work for you?"

The two nodded eagerly. Shane watched them a moment longer, then tilted his head at the SUV. "Get in then." The two lumbered up, the boy throwing their packs into the trunk and sitting behind Gena as the girl behind Shane. Shane climbed in, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "Happy?" Gena smiled warmly in response. Once they were on the road again, she turned to the two.

"Hi. I'm Gena, and this Shane. What are your names?" Gena had been looking at the girl when she said this, but the boy piped up.

"I'm Tom, and this is Sabine. We went to the community college around here. We were camping out there until we were overrun by the zombie things. Since then, we've been here and there, no destination really in mind."

"Where are you from, Tom?"

"Atlanta."

"And you, Sabine?"

Sabin turned from looking out the window and answered in a cool voice.

"Savannah."

"Why'd you all choose to go to college all the way over here?"

Tom geared up to talk, but Sabine beat him to the punch. "Can we hold off with the twenty questions? We're exhausted."

"Oh. Sure." Gena looked back at Tom, who shrugged apologetically. She turned back in her seat and thought of their two newest passengers; Tom seemed nice enough, but Sabine was something different. She had the haunted look in her eyes that said that she had seen far too much; in most cases, either those people simply give up, or they get profoundly angry. It seemed Sabine opted for the rage. _I'll keep a close eye on her._ She decided. She didn't want Shane to think he made the wrong decision listening to Gena and taking them on.

They stopped off the road around eleven that night, Shane pulling off the highway and into the underbrush. He got out first, holding up a hand at Gena when she pushed on the door. He took his spear and rifle, and thoroughly checked out the area. He came back after about fifteen minutes.

"There's a deer carcass picked clean nearby, but that shouldn't be a problem. Let me string this wire up real quick then y'all can get out." Gena bit her lip as she thought about the sleeping arrangement; last night, Shane drove through the night, and Gena slept in her seat. She remembered waking up, seeing Shane resting his hand off the wheel and the other arm leaning on the center console, and drifting back to sleep, feeling safe.

But tonight was different. They were going to have to sleep in close quarters, and Gena was like a pot about to boil over; she was worried she wasn't going to be able to help herself. She had boyfriends before, but none of them could compare to the attraction she felt for Shane. It was like her romance novels described; every other boyfriend was a candle compared to the bonfire of desire that was Shane.

Gena was jolted out of her thoughts by the car door being opened and Shane holding a hand out for her. She took it and jumped down. Tom and Sabine were also out, stretching after being cramped up for so long and testing out the flashlights Shane had given them. She walked around to meet them at the back of the SUV, where Shane had thrown a bag to the ground.

"All right, Gena and I are going to sleep in the truck while you two can take the tent. Be careful about using your flashlights for too long; it might attract unwanted company. I strung up some barbed wire with bells on them around the camp; if you get up in the middle of the night, be careful you don't trip over them. As Gena can tell you, they hurt like a bitch. If you hear them go off, get up and run for your life. We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning, so get up or get left behind. Any questions?" The two shook their heads. "See you in the morning."

Gena smiled at the two, who picked up the bag and walked off. She turned to look at the trunk of the car. Shane was moving the stuff to the middle seats so they could lie down. Gena grabbed a pile of sheets from one bag and began spreading them out, mindful of the pots of gasoline. Shane began to move those too, setting them outside.

"I don't believe this. They're going to be snuggled up in a metal safehouse while all we get is this measly cloth tent. It is so unfair." Sabine's voice carried with the light breeze.

"Actually, it kind of is. We're lucky to have gotten a ride at all, Sabine. Besides, you don't want to piss them off. Not when they just saved our asses."

Gena liked Tom even more; it was nice to hear that he could stand up to Sabine. Most young men cowered at the sight of a pretty girl. There was probably some history there.

Once they had cleared room in the trunk, Gena sat and took of her shoes and socks, setting them aside. She took off her over shirt, leaving her in a tank and jeans. She looked down at her pants forlornly, but kept them on. She wasn't quite ready to strip down to her skivvies in front of Shane just yet. She crawled under the first layer of sheet, and rested her head on her balled-up shirt. _Just like the Ritz_ she thought, smiling. They had eaten a while back, so there was nothing else to do but fall asleep. She kept her eyes open though, and watched Shane get ready for bed.

He did another lap around the camp, made sure Tom and Sabine were settled in, then came back. He set the flashlight in the trunk and unlaced his boots, setting them inside. He then took off his shirt, which caused Gena's eyes to bug out. She had seen him shirtless before, but she had never been expected to sleep next to his bare chest. Her toes curled at the thought of running her hands across his chest, watching her fingers undo his belt buckle as he back her up against a wall…

"You ready for bed?" He asked.

"Oh, yes." She murmured, then coughed repeatedly when she realized she had used her outside voice.

"I mean yep, all good to go."

Shane closed the trunk and settled himself on top of the sheets, hand under his head. He looked over at her.

"Well, goodnight." He said, and closed his eyes. Gena looked at his half-naked form and sighed.

Good night. _Yeah, right._


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Friday! I hope you enjoy this next installment :) writing can be pretty solitary, so please feel free to review!**

**Chapter 6**

Gena woke up just before sunrise, sprawled across Shane's chest. He had gotten under the covers sometime during the night, and Gena was snuggled up next to him. She had her arm across his chest, and her leg hitched up over his. Once she was truly awake and could comprehend the situation, she blushed and tried to disengage, looking up at his face and hoping he hadn't woken up yet. No luck. He was looking straight at her, his brown eyes inscrutable. She drew her arm back. He grabbed it, and guided it back across his chest.

"Stay awhile. Watch the sunrise."

Gena complied, nestling into him. He generated a lot of heat, which was nice during the colder night. She felt his steady breathing, rising and falling gently. Slowly, his other hand curled around the small of her back. She closed her eyes, soaking up the feeling of his fingers stroking her hip; time felt suspended, and Gena felt like she was still dreaming. Together they watched as the sun rose over the trees from the back window. Slowly, the day began. Gena heard Sabine and Tom waking up, murmuring to each other as they began to dissemble the tent. She looked back up at Shane.

"Good morning." She whispered.

He kissed her.

Gena was delicious. Waking up with her so close to Shane nearly undid him. She was so soft, so trusting in his arms. He had woken up before her, so he was able to enjoy the feeling of her cuddled in his arms. Now, kissing her, he was in trouble.

She kissed eagerly, opening for him instantly. He devoured her, loving the taste. She moved on top of him, moaning when she fit herself over him. She came down again, kissing him with every breath in her body. She tasted like cinnamon, warm with a little bit of bite. Shane's hand moved from her lower back, sliding under her shirt and across her smooth skin to her breast. He ran his thumb over her nipple, and she gasped.

There was a tap on the window. "Hey guys! We're ready to go when you are!"

Tom's voice was like a bucket of cold weather, and the two separated like a pair of randy teenagers. Shane sat up, angry at being interrupted yet relieved at the same time; Gena was not one to be fucked in the back seat. He shook his head to clear it and opened the trunk door.

"I'm gonna go collect the wire. Take your time getting ready; we'll take off in half an hour." Gena nodded. Shane cast one last look over her, lounging in bed, and inwardly groaned. Finally, he threw his shirt on and walked away.

Gena needed a moment. She burrowed herself in the blankets and thought about what just happened. Shane was an amazing kisser, confident and assertive. He was not afraid to take the wheel and tell her what to do. Gena had been so far gone she would have let him have his way with her in the back of a car that smelled like gasoline with two strangers twenty feet away. And she would have loved every minute of it.

_Pull it together, Gena. We've got work to do. _She made herself rise from the warm sheets and slipped her shirt and shoes on, grabbing her toothbrush. She headed out to the woods, did her business, and brushed her teeth thoroughly. When she came back, she saw Tom loading the car up while Sabine climbed into her side. Shane was putting gas into the car. Gena walked over.

"Hey, need any help?"

"Nah, I'm almost done. If you wanna go ahead and get in, we'll leave pretty soon."

"All righty then." Gena went over to her side, stretched her legs in preparation for the journey ahead and climbed into the car.

Tom and Sabine had been whispering to each other, but stopped when Gena sat down. She turned and met Sabine head on.

"Ready to play 20 questions now?"

"So, how'd you two meet?" Gena asked while Shane climbed in and started up the car.

"We knew each other before the epidemic. I was her bio tutor. After the whole zombie apocalypse, I thought I was the only one on campus. But I found her in the gym one day, fighting our Dean who was trying to eat her face off. I stabbed it in the head, and we've been together ever since. "

"What were your majors?"

"I was double majoring in business and English; one for business, one for pleasure, you know?"

"I was an English major!"

"Oh yeah? Where'd you go to college?"

"FSU. I was a grad student when the epidemic came along. What about you, Sabine?"

"Communications. And you, Shane?"

"Police academy." Shane seemed reluctant to enter the conversation, tapping his fingers on the wheel. Gena steered it elsewhere.

"What were you thinking of specializing in, Tom? What's your favorite era of literature?"

"Probably the late 19th century, but _The Great Gatsby_ has always been a favorite of mine."

"Mine too. I focused around the 1920's. I loved both of the Fitzgeralds and Hemingway."

"I could never get into Hemingway's writing."

Gena and Tom talked most of the morning, debating about writers and other bits of history. It was nice for Gena to finally talk about books and not seem nerdy. However, she couldn't help but notice that Shane seemed increasingly agitated as the two talked.

They stopped at a rest station around one. Shane pulled into the parking lot and got out.

"Stay here, I'll-"

"Go check it out. We know the drill."

He came back a bit later. "It seems okay. There a couple of walkers in the complex, but I got rid of them. There seems to be running water, and there are showers in the bathrooms as well."

"Showers?" Gena repeated hopefully. Shane nodded, and she clapped her hands while Tom and Sabine filed out of the car.

"We're gonna pass and raid the vending machines. We're getting low on supplies." Tom called out as they took with an empty bag. Shane and Gena grabbed a change of clothes, towels and soap before heading out to the shower.

"You okay?" Gena asked Shane, feeling the cold shoulder from him.

"You shouldn't get attached to Tom. We're leaving them in Thomasville, and I don't want to have to deal with a brokenhearted woman all the way back."

Gena rolled her eyes. "Really? There's nothing between me and Tom. We just get along well because we both like to read. He's five years younger than me, still in the puberty stage. I prefer maturity. Besides, who exactly did I wake up with this morning?"

Shane's jaw twitched when she mentioned that morning, but he didn't say anything. Gena took that as a good sign and walked ahead, turning into the restroom.

"I'll meet you right out here." Shane said, pointing to a rust bench in the middle of the complex. Gena waved him away and kept walking. She was relishing the thought of washing off the grime on her body.

The restrooms were long and narrow, with toilets on the left, showers on the right. It was a bleak room, with white tiles for walls and scuffed orange linoleum lining the floor. She used the closest toilet stall, washed her hands, and went to a shower stall, shutting the white curtain behind her. She undressed, bundled her clothes in the corner, and turned on the shower. It was a weak stream and the water was tepid, but to Gena it was perfect. She started to hum, lathering herself with the tiny soap bar.

Across the bathroom, a stall door opened. A disintegrated body wearing a janitor suit came shuffling out, feeling nothing. It did not notice how it's face was literally falling off, or how it's arm was pulverized. It only knew it had to feed. It smelled the aroma of fresh flesh, different than those of its brethren, and its mouth pooled with saliva. _Eat. _It thought. _Feed. _The closer it got to the sound and the smell, the hungrier it got.

_Eat. Feed. Eat. Feed. Eatfeed. Eatfeed. EAT. FEED. EATFEED EATFEED EATFEED._

Slowly, it raised it's hand and pulled aside the flimsy shower curtain.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Gena heard the shower curtain open. Standing in front of her was the decaying body of Jorge, the rest stop's janitor. His clothing, a blue khaki uniform with his name tag sewn in, was hanging in filthy strips from his body. His skin was gray now, completely missing on his right arm. His eyes were drooping out his sockets, and his jaw was dislocated. He began to move deeper into the shower, entrapping her.

Gena looked around for any kind of weapon, but there was none to be found. The walker kept moving, pushing her into the corner. It took no notice of the water now pounding his skin. Gena bit down a desperate scream, knowing it would do no good and might attract any more walkers. She kept her eyes on the walker, slowly inching along the wall to the exit. It snapped at her, and she yelped and raised her arm, flinching at the impending attack.

Suddenly, the walker was hauled out of the shower. She heard the sound of pounding flesh, and she looked out. Shane had the thing by its collar, crushing its face with his fist. In Shane's other hand was his sharpened rod. Shane kicked it out of sight, and Gena heard the sound sickening sound of penetration, then silence.

"Yeah, you stay down. Bitch." She heard Shane mutter. He rejoined her a moment later.

"Are you okay?" He asked, folding her into his arms. He ran his hands over her shaking body, checking for a bite. She let him take care of her, still in shock from the ordeal. He put her under the spray one last time, turning her slightly, then dried her off. He helped her change into her clothes and took her out of the stall, shielding her from the sight of the body. Gena turned into him, trying to collect herself.

Once they were out of the room, Shane took her face in both hands.

"You okay, Genie?" He seemed to be searching her face for something. She smiled softly.

"I'm fine. It scared me more than anything. I'll be okay in a little while, I just need time to process." When he didn't look reassured, she leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. He kissed her back, then pulled away and took her hand.

"Let's go back to the car. It was a stupid idea stopping here."

"This wasn't your fault, Shane. It could've happened anywhere. Besides, we got to shower. That's something."

"Rick would've…" Shane stopped talking, as if he realized he had been talking out loud.

"Who's Rick?"

"No one."

Gena wanted to ask more, but Shane shut down. She saved her questions for later, and walked to the car.

Sabine and Tom were already at the car, sitting in the grass and talking.

"Hey, Gena, you ok?" Tom came ambling over, but stopped short when he saw Shane's face. He settled for an awkward distance between them.

"I had a scare in the shower, but it's all good now. We really should hit the road, try to get as many miles as we can."

"All right. As long as you're okay."

"Peachy. Did you get any food?"

"Yeah, enough to last for bit."

"Great."

They all piled into the car, settling in. Shane and Tom seemed to watch her, and she put extra effort into seeming okay. In all reality, she was. Like she told Shane, she just needed time to process what happened. She wished she had something to occupy her, other than the books at her feet. She looked to Shane, starting the car.

"You know Shane, I can drive as well. It's really not a problem if you want to take a break."

Shane gave Gena a look. "Just sit and rest, okay?"

Gena rolled her eyes and nodded reluctantly, feeling like a moocher.

Soon, they were off, putting the rest stop behind them.

They stopped earlier that night, before the sun set. Everyone lumbered out of the car after Shane had done his customary check, stretching their sore backs. Sabine and Tom went about setting up their tent while Gena and Shane ate a dinner of canned tomatoes and green beans. Once they finished Gena poured some of their water in a bucket and they worked on their laundry, talking while they worked.

"High school was the best. I was on the football team, number 22. I met my best friend in high school. Also, I don't like to brag but I was a bit of a catch." Shane said.

Gena smiled. "Oh really, Casanova?"

"Those were the days; I was getting tail from everyone. Even my gym teacher. She was giving me some extra lessons behind the gym, if you know what I mean."

Gena laughed and waved away the image.

"I was the complete opposite. I was always reading and doing school work. I didn't even have a boyfriend until the sophomore year of college."

"Yeah? And who was this lucky son of a gun?"

"Steven Wilkes. Nice guy, if a bit drab."

"Drab, huh?"

"Yeah. His idea of a date was dinner at Applebees and a documentary at his house. It usually had to do with botany. He had a bit of a green thumb."

Shane snorted and shook his head. "If I had you as a girlfriend, you can damn well bet I wouldn't waste my nights watching shows on plants."

Gena blushed. "Yeah? What would you do?" The question popped out of her mouth before she could snatch it back. Shane stopped hanging his clothes on the line and turned to her.

"Well, I'd probably take you out to some romantic spot of town and let every man be jealous while you ordered whatever you wanted off the menu. Then we would head out to the middle of nowhere in my truck. We'd get out, I would build a fire, and we could watch the stars until morning."

Gena was touched. She rubbed her heart, where it began to ache. "I'd like that." She said quietly.

"Me too."

After their laundry was done, Gena and Shane talked with Tom and Sabine for a bit, mostly about what their live were like before the outbreak. That seemed to be the favored topic of conversation; it reminded people that there was a semblance of order and normality, even it was now impossible. After the two went to sleep, Gena and Shane sat in the trunk bed, talking and dozing off until the sun rose. Gena raised her head from Shane's chest to see Sabine and Tom coming from the tent. Everyone packed up in companionable silence, and they hit the road early. Everyone seemed to realize that they were getting closer to their destination, and as the miles passed it grew more somber in the car.

Gena thought of the last time she saw her parents, waving goodbye as she drove away. She had traveled to North Georgia to visit with some friends.

"We'll be right here when you get back, Gena." Her father had said, giving her a hug.

"We love you."

When the outbreak had hit her family up north, Gena had been spared. She had stayed home while her grandparents went to a farmer's market. They never returned. Gena knew they had either been killed by walkers, outlaws, or the government. She instantly knew she had to get back to her parents. While brilliant, they were not the strongest individuals, and they would need help surviving. So, Gena had packed as much as she could and took off. It was not much later that she met up with Francis's group. He had seemed strong, sure of himself. It had taken her a couple days to realize that the gleam in his eye was not one of strength, but madness.

_Quid pro quo, Gena. Your body is mine. _Gena shuddered.

"You okay?" Shane asked, noticing her as she got more tensed. Gena smoothed her face and nodded, reaching over to take his hand. She felt him squeeze hers, lending comfort. Gena watched the miles as they passed, feeling the pit in her stomach grow.

Finally, they reached Thomasville.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The town was in shambles. What was once a charming southern town was replaced with the carnage of buildings and rubble. Shane drove down main street slowly. The bridal shop that Gena used to linger outside of was shelled out, the gowns inside ripped apart and fluttering in the light breeze. The café across the street had been shown no mercy as well; the only thing left inside was the freezer and a broken chair. Gena felt a tear slowly slide down her face. The place that she grew up in was gone, and she felt the reality of it all crashing in.

"Gena? Where do I go, baby?" Shane's voice broke in as they stopped at a stop light. Curiously, tiny bundles of food were placed at every corner of the road, stacked neatly on the side. Gena looked around, but saw no one. _Strange, _she thought. _Why has no one taken those yet?_

"Genie?" She shook herself and pointed right. Shane turned and they drove down the street, picking up speed. 2 right turns later, they arrived in front of her house. Gena unbuckled her seat belt and motioned to the others to stay in the car. Arms wrapped around her middle, she faced her broken past.

Her childhood home was a forest green Victorian, with white trimming and a broad front porch. It was her mother's pride and joy. Gena remembered walking home from school every day and finding her mother in one of the rockers, sipping a sweet tea and reading a book.

" _Hey sweetheart. How was your day, junebug?"_

Her mother's words flitted by her as she stared at the hole in the street, like a missing tooth in a gruesome smile.

Someone had burnt her house down. Not just salvaged what they could and took off, but methodically poured gasoline inside and thrown a match. It was a crime of hate, not desperation. Gena felt herself dry heave, and she slid to her knees. She dug her fingers into the wreckage, pulling at the dust as if to revive the home. Her fingers grasped something, and she shook off the dust.

"No." she choked out. "No. No. NO. Please God, no, PLEASE NO!" She threw the human finger away, vomiting. She started to sob, lying down on the pile of ash. Her mind began to crash, unable to process.

She felt arms encircle her, lifting her into their lap. "Come here, baby. I'm so sorry. Just cry it out. It's okay, you're okay." As Shane nestled her into his arms Gena cried for her home, her parents, her life, Shane, Sabine, Tom, Dolly, her elderly neighbors. Gena cried for the world. She had always thought that once she reached home her parents would be there with some kind of solution. She had always thought that once she reached them, she would be okay. Her mind shied away from what must have happened to them, not capable of dealing with it. Now, Gena had nothing. She had no idea what to do with her future.

She felt her sobs turn to heaves as her tears dried up. She sniffled and turned her face into Shane's, needing the animalistic comfort of being near someone. She pulled away after a while, drawing in a breath and wiping her face.

"You all right?" Shane asked quietly. Gena shrugged and climbed up, taking one last look at the home. She saw movement in the ash. Looking closer, it seemed as if someone or something was trying to get out. She gasped and climbed over to the spot, digging. Shane came over and helped her. She pulled out a tiny, wriggling body. She wiped off the ash, and gasped.

"Biddy, oh, come here sweet girl." It was her neighbor's cat, Biddy. She came over to their house every once and awhile, lured by her father's treats. Gena surmised that once Biddy's owner's left, it must've moved into their house. She stroked Biddy's grayish-white hair, clutching her close.

"Gena? Baby, we got to go. It's getting dark." Shane helped her stand, Gena cradling Biddy softly in her arms and cooing to her. Shane ushered her into the car, and closed the door.

"Stay there. I'll be right back." Shane turned back into the wreckage, searching for something.

Gena felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned, and saw it was Sabine.

"I walked in on a walker eating my mom." Sabine said. _I know how you feel. _Her eyes whispered. She took off her sweater, and passed it to Gena, tilting her head at Biddy.

"For the cat."

Gena nodded, and wrapped her up gently.

Shane returned, carrying a picture frame and a leash. Once he got into the car, he passed them to Gena silently. She took them. It was a picture from her graduation. She was between her parents, laughing while her mother beamed and her father gave a thumbs up. Gena's eyes watered, and she placed the picture and Dolly's leash on the floorboard. She curled up into the seat and looked out the window, stroking Biddy softly.

Shane took the wheel. He realized that the Gena he knew was gone. She had just found her home gone, her family killed inside. Her mind needed time to grasp the situation, so she checked out. Shane looked back at Tom and Sabine.

"Feel like staying around for a while?" He asked. _We need to watch her._

"Absolutely." Tom said, and Sabine nodded solemnly.

Shane drove off, looking around for a place to stay. The homes all looked destroyed, purposefully so. His mind drifted back to the food he saw on the corners of the street. _We're in someone's territory. _He realized. And after seeing Gena's home, he was pretty sure he knew who.

He finally found a small family-run inn half an hour outside the town. He perused quickly inside, although he knew it was going to be empty. After finding two attached rooms in relatively nice shape on the third floor, Shane went back to the car.

"Found someplace we can stay for tonight." He told everyone. "It's not much, but we're not in good shape to travel tonight. We need to refuel and regroup." Tom and Sabine nodded while Gena looked outside, despondent. Everyone took their luggage and moved inside.

"Are you guys gonna be okay?" Shane asked the college couple.

"Yeah, we'll be good. Are you gonna be okay?" Tom asked.

"Gena's had a rough go of it, but she's strong. She'll gonna hang in there." Shane paused, and moved closer.

"You guys need to know something, though. We're being watched. Stay alert." They two looked anxious, but they nodded and closed the door behind him.

Shane turned back to his room, and began to get ready for the night.

Gena knew it was time to time back in. She had watch Shane lock up the room, grabbing a seat at the coffee table and watching the door. She had heard Shane, she knew they weren't safe; but somehow, she was still curled up on the bed, petting Biddy as she slept.

"Thank you Shane." She whispered. He heard her in the quiet of the room.

"For what, baby?" She loved how he said baby in his southern accent; it sent shivers down her spine.

"For taking care of me. Of us."

"You don't need to thank me for that, Genie."

She stood and walked over to him, standing between his legs. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. He pulled away.

"We can do this later, Genie. You need to rest."

Gena started to unbutton her shirt. "I can rest later. I need you, Shane."

At this sight of her breasts encased in her pale pink bra, his eyes darkened. He led to sit on his lap. He threaded his fingers through her hair, and leaned in close. She closed the gap.

He was devastatingly gentle with her, searching her mouth with his tongue. His hand came up and caressed her breast, reaching with the other to unfasten it.

"Yes." She gasped as he began to kiss his way down her neck, placing his tongue over her pulse, feeling it jump as he placed his hand over her bare breast. He began to circle her nipple, spreading a heat that was low in her belly. She pressed her breast into his hand. He dipped his head down and circled her nipple with his mouth, switching his hand to the other nipple. Gena moaned and began to grind herself on his erection, finding a delicious rhythm. He continued to suckle her nipple as he picked her up, breaking away when he placed her on the bed closest to the window. He slid her pants down, took off his own shirt and climbed over her, kissing her again. He made a path down to her breasts again, catching her with his teeth. He nibbled lightly, and she gasped. He kissed down to her belly, raising a brow at the adornment in her belly button.

Gena saw the look. "One of the reasons Steven broke up with me." She whispered.

Shane laughed and shook his head. _Dumbass_. He finally got to the warm center of her, kissing her slightly above. Gena stiffened and tried to shut her legs, but Shane pushed them apart.

"Let me take care of you." He said tenderly. She slowly relaxed. He nuzzled her, and he pushed past the curls, tonguing in urgent strokes. She writhed under him, mewing and breathing heavily. It only took him a couple strokes before she erupted, freezing as the ecstasy broke like a dam over her.

Shane brought the sheets over her, brushing the hair off of her brow.

"Sleep, baby." He whispered. "I'm here." And Gena slowly faded into blissful darkness, strung out by the stress of the day.

Shane left Gena's sleeping form to turn off the light by the table and check on Biddy. He had never been a cat person, but it seemed to bring Gena some peace. He turned and looked out the window.

A man with an AK-47 standing in the yard waved. Shane shut the blinds.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

They were summoned when they were eating breakfast. The four were sitting at the coffee table, eating some canned green beans. Tom and Sabine were talking to Shane about last night.

"So there was a man with a gun outside your window?" Tom asked.

"Yeah. Gena and I were getting to bed when I went to close the blinds. The man was standing there, waving."

"That's really creepy."

Shane shrugged. "We're in someone's territory now. It's a different world. We gotta abide by their rules until we can get out safely."

"It's Francis's territory." Gena said, not looking up from Biddy, who was lying in her lap. "I'd know his brand of crazy from anywhere. I made the mistake of telling him where I was headed when I was in his group. He's grown in numbers, recruiting anyone who loves violence as much as him. I'd bet he's in high heaven now, finally finding a town he can rule over."

Shane was silent. Gena surmised he already knew it was Francis. Sabine asked, "Who's Francis?"

"The leader of the group I used to be in. I got out when I realized he was a sick bastard. Looks like he wasn't quite done with me."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Everyone froze mid-bite. Shane stood, took his pistol out from his pants, and went to answer the door.

It was the man from last night. He was tall and lanky, with oily long hair and green eyes.

"The girl's wanted at the town hall." There was no question to who he was talking about . "She has two minutes to get her stuff." The man moved as if to step inside.

Shane shut the door in his face. Damned if he took orders from a perverted teenager.

"They want you to go see the leader." He told Gena. She nodded, unsurprised, and laced up her shoes.

" I'm coming with you."

"Shane, no. It would be best if I talk to Francis alone. I have no idea how he's going to react. It sounds like they just want to talk."

"Yeah, that's what they all say. Come on, Gena! You know how this ends!" Tom exclaimed. Shane nodded and took her arms.

"He's right. I'm coming with you. You're the only person I care about. I won't let them hurt you without a fight."Gena sighed. She knew she wasn't going to get anywhere arguing.

"Fine. But for the love of God, let me do the talking." Shane didn't respond. She hoped he would realize the gravity of the situation when they got there. Francis is not going to take kindly to Shane's domineering attitude.

She kissed Biddy on the head, allowing herself one moment of panic. When she handed the cat to Sabine, she was collected once again.

"We'll be back soon." She told Tom. Shane handed her his hunting knife. She tucked it into her belt. Gena nodded to the two, and opened the door.

She stopped in front of the teen.

"Enjoy the show last night?" she spat out.

Shane had told her that the boy had probably seen everything.

The man leered at her, staring at her breasts. She snapped her fingers.

"If anything happens to them, especially the cat, I will castrate you with my bare hands. Clear?"

The boy must have seen something in her eyes, because he gulped and nodded. He led them out of the hotel and into the street. Gena took Shane's hand as they walked down three blocks to the town hall. The building was the only complete structure around, the windows and doors still intact. Scattered about the lawn were pits covered in spears pointing upwards. A hangman's noose hanging from a tall oak swung in the breeze. Men with guns and ammo belts stood around fires that were spread about. They all stopped to stare at her as the trio walked by. She met their gaze head on. The boy opened the front doors and led them down the hall to the main hall. It had been turned into a throne room. The bundles of food Shane and Gena had seen the day before lined the walls, as well as piles of gold and other riches. In the middle of the room, sprawled in a throne-like chair, was France Oates.

He was tall, with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He had gained weight from the last time she saw him, fleshing out his long frame. He had started to grow a beard, most likely trying to seem more severe. His jeans and forest green button down were flawless and pressed, most likely laundered that day. He had both his legs on the chair arm, his back on the other one. He had been inspecting a pearl necklace when he spotted them. He threw the pearls to the ground and walked toward them.

"Iphigenia. What a nice surprise."

Gena inclined her head slightly. "I wish I could say the same, Francis."

He frowned slightly. "And this must be the young buck you spread your legs for last night. Tell me," he raked a gaze over Gena and turned to Shane. "Were the goods as advertised?"

Shane didn't answer, knowing better to goad him. Disappointed at his failure to rise to the bait, Francis turned and went back to his throne.

"You know, Gena, that wasn't nice of you to run off like that. You left the group in quite a lurch .You should've seen what I did to the hunters that interrupted us. I couldn't have left them unscathed. No good deed and all of that."

"What do you want, Francis?"

"Not you, that's for sure. It didn't take me too long to realize you were a slut, using your body into making me do what you want. I found someone else, someone who appreciates my leadership."

He snapped his fingers, and the door behind them opened. Gena's neighbor May Ellla came in, clicking in six inch heels. She was not an attractive girl, too brutish to be called feminine. Gena wasn't surprised at this pairing; May Ella was the kind of girl to pull wings off of butterflies, watching closely for their reaction.

May Ella stood beside Francis, glaring at Gena.

"See? Match made in Heaven. May Ella, would you please escort Iphigenia's escort to the front door? He can wait outside while have a little chat."

"Shane is going to stay with me, Francis." Gena protested firmly.

Francis rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever. Come along, I have something to show you. May Ella, you're dismissed."

The three walked through a door and up a set of stairs to the top of the bell tower. Gena looked out, holding onto Shane's arm. Her town had been destroyed, but from this view she could see that if had been systematic. Blocks had been razed while others were untouched. The untouched parts were heavily gated. Gena could see the reason for the chaos: it increased security as well as dependency.

"After you left, I took the group south, knowing you were coming this way. I couldn't wait to see the place that raised you, Gena. Once I got here, I found a town in absolute chaos. The people needed a leader, and I rose to the occasion. I recruited the men for my personal police force, and sent the women to the fields to work. I'm building a town, you see."

"Where did you get the resources for this?" Gena asked.

"A man like me is never wanting, Gena. I always get what I want in the end."

Shane heard the true meaning in his voice and casually stepped between the pair. He had been quiet before, simply taking it all in. Now that he understood the threat, he moved to take action.

"So what do you want from us?" He asked.

"I want you to stay. You all will be honored guests, with food and supplies as far as the eyes can see."

"What aren't you telling us, Francis?"

"Well, in return for my hospitality I will come to expect things, you see." Francis stared at Gena, moving closer slowly.

"Like what?" Shane asked. Francis glared at him, annoyed at his presence. The angry expression smoothed out, replaced with a placid look.

"Well, I need your expertise. I need help getting the town off the ground, so to speak; just your advice in everyday operations. Once that is accomplished, you can leave. No harm, no foul."

Shane was about to tell him where he could shove his deal, but Gena pulled him back slightly.

"Give us some time to think about this, Francis. We need to talk to our people."

Francis nodded. "Of course. I will give you until the end of the day. Mull it over, and tell me after dinner. You can dine with May Ella and I tonight."

"Thank you, Francis. And as for dinner, we have to decline." Gena began to walk down the steps and Shane followed, putting his hand on her lower back to guide her. Shane's saw Francis's eyes narrow at the gesture. _That's right, fucker. _He thought, _she's mine._

"So that's the deal. Unfortunately, I don't see a way out." Gena had just finished relaying the deal to Tom and Sabine. Shane had gone out for a walk. When they had gotten back, he had taken off immediately. Gena could tell he was frustrated and upset at the situation; it had been taken out of his hands, and there was no escape in sight. She turned her attention back to Tom and Sabine, who had been conversing.

"I think we're going to agree." Tom concluded. "I mean, strength in numbers right? We tried it out there on our own, and it sucked."

Gena thought about protesting, but decided against it. _It's their decision. _"All right then. I will tell Francis later tonight. However, if you change your mind before then, don't hesitate to tell me." The two nodded and left the room.

Gena sighed and looked around at her accommodations. The room was small, with the walls lined in wood paneling. The twin beds were covered in light blue sheets with a white comforter. The floor was a blue carpet. She ventured into the bathroom. It was a small room bedecked in white rose wallpaper. Gena opened the mirror shelf. Nothing. She wandered back into the room and took off her shoes, lying down on the bed next to Biddy. She fell asleep, wandering where Shane was.

Shane walked into the lobby, not surprised to find it empty. The rest of the hotel seemed deserted. He tried the vending machines but found them ransacked. He walked up to the first floor, needing time to clear his head.

He had never felt more out of his depth. Even his years on the police force did not prepare him for Francis. He had been genuinely insane, and he had looked at Gena like she was the shiniest diamond on top of the crown. Like Francis said, he was a man that never wanted; no one had ever denied him. But Gena had refused him, and that sent her to the top of his list. Shane had no doubt that there was a target on his back, but he felt fairly confident that he had a couple of days before they tried to kill him. That wasn't what he was worried about; he wanted Gena safe, and would do anything to ensure that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

When he returned to the room, he found Gena asleep on top of the covers. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. She awoke and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in for a deeper kiss. When they broke apart, Shane sat at the coffee table. Gena sat up on the bed, ready to talk.

"Are you okay now?" She asked.

He nodded. "I just hate the situation we're in. I want to say, fuck it, we're leaving. But I know it's not that easy."

"I know you do. And I promise that we will find a way out of this, somehow. I sincerely doubt that Francis is going to just let us leave when he's done using us."

"Yeah, there's a snowball's chance in hell of that. You filled in Tom and Sabine?"

"They're gonna stay. They think that they'll be safe here."

"Well, let them stay. It makes things easier for us anyways."

Gena wasn't sure how she felt about that, but she stayed silent. She would approach the subject later on.

"How much time do we have until he sends for us?"

"Probably a couple hours. Anything interesting going on outside?"

"Quiet as a cemetery."

Gena went to her pack and drew out her Greek mythology book. She laid back on the bed and turned to her favorite story, the one of Medusa and Poseidon. She enveloped herself in the sad love story as Shane cleaned and inventoried his weapons once more. The two stayed like that for hours; each wrapped up in their own task, but attuned to each other.

After a while, Gena put her book down and joined Shane at the table, watching him work.

"You okay?" He asked.

Gena nodded. "Just watching."

He went back to work. After a while, Gena's gaze switched from the gun itself to the Shane. She was mesmerized by his hands traveling over the weapons, how he handled them with such precision and care. His muscles flexed and relaxed with each movement, and his face had the expression of uninterrupted focus. Gena bit her lip and crossed her legs. Her gaze traveled up his body. His jeans hugged his thighs, moving when he did. His shirt, a blue button down, was unbutton at the top and Gena saw his tattoo and "22" necklace. Gena stared at the skin exposed, wanting to run her tongue over it. She envisioned herself walking over, knocking the gun out of his hands, and climbing on, riding him for what he was worth.

Gena blushed. She was never one to have dirty fantasies about men; she didn't even have them about Steven when they were dating. Shane just had some innate power where she couldn't help herself. _Yes, but this is not exactly the time or place. _She reminded herself. _So what? I can look. Looking's not against the rules. _She directed her gaze back to Shane, who had finished his chore. She smiled absently, and he returned it.

"Bored?" Shane asked. Gena nodded.

"Well, they should be coming soon."

"What are we going to say, Shane?"

"We're going to have to agree. Otherwise they'll just kill us. We'll agree, get to know their routine and get our feet under us, and when the opportune time comes we'll take it."

"What about Tom and Sabine?"

"They make their own beds; it's been clear from the start this situation is only a temporary one, baby."

"But if we go, then we're putting them in an awful position with Francis!"

"That's not our problem, Gena. They know how it is. We just need to worry about us right now."

"Do they know, Shane? They're just kids."

"You're not too older yourself, Gena."

"And I suppose age means experience? This age gap didn't stop you last night, Shane."

"In this instance, yes! And do you want me to stop going down on you, Gena? That wasn't what I was getting last night."

Gena sniffed and raised her head. "Not particularly, no." Shane chuckled at her attempt to appear dignified, but continued.

"Just trust me, Genie. Your empathy is one of the things I love about you, but you're gonna have to defer to me about survival. I'll do right by them, but at the end of the day you're the one I care about."

_Love? _Gena was still processing that when there was a knock on the door.

Shane rose and opened it.

"Francis is ready for you. All four of you all must come." The guard waited while everyone collected their things, and then they were off.

Walking down the street, Gena saw the town in full swing, the occupants home from work. There were a few restaurants lining the street that were open to the public, and a clothing store had its lights on at the end of the street. The people walking down the street moved freely, and Gena could hear children laughing and good-natured conversation from the establishments. It seemed like a regular town, one untouched by the outbreak. However, there was a clear undertone of antagonism. Whenever someone neared a guard, they would stop talking and look downward, radiating tension and anxiety. Whenever there was a loud noise, like a door slamming or a plate dropping, everyone would jump and duck their heads down. It seemed the citizens lived waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.

The town hall looked even more menacing at night, the fires casting gruesome shadows on the walls. Gena instinctively moved closer to Shane. Tom and Sabine were whispering to each other, taking it all in. Gena wondered if they had changed their minds.

"So," Francis said, coming out of the shadows and surprising everyone, "Do we have an agreement?"

He looked flat out maniacal in the ghastly light, and Gena gravitated even more to Shane, wrapping her hands around his arm.

Tom and Sabine stepped forward. "We'd be honored to join your group, sir. Thank you." Tom extended a hand, but Francis just stared at it like it was covered in beetles. Tom awkwardly withdrew it. Francis came to stand in front of Gena and Shane.

"And you, Iphigenia?"

"We'd love to see how the town works." Gena said.

"Even if it just temporary." Shane added meaningfully. Francis chose to ignore the last bit, clapping his hands and motioning them inside.

"We'll discuss everything over dinner. I believe we're having chicken tonight. You're going to love the library, Iphigenia. It has every book you could ever want…"

"Francis," Gena interrupted, "I told you we're not staying for dinner tonight. We're too tired. We would love to talk again into the morning though."

"Ah yes. Shane must be exhausted, isn't he?" Gena felt Shane bristle.

"Not really, but we had a late night last night, remember?"

The reminder of their sexual interlude seemed to infuriate Francis. His face turned dark, and his voice grew cold.

"Ah yes. How could I forget? Iphigenia has to bend over so Shane can feel like a man."

Gena tightened her hold on Shane's arm as she felt him charge. She had to hold on for dear life, Shane's fury charging his strength to full force.

"Francis. You cannot talk to me that way. What Shane and I do behind closed doors is none of your, or your guards, business."

Francis turned and walked into the building. "Just get out." He called over his shoulder.

_Gladly. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Back at the hotel, Shane apologized. "I'm sorry, Genie. I let my temper get the best of me."

Gena waved his apology away. "That's Francis' power. It's how he's ruling this town. Within two minutes of meeting you, he knows you. He knows you greatest desire and greatest fear. I don't know how or why; he just does. It's funny, one would think their greatest fear would be the zombies; but it's the people."

"How'd you learn to talk to him like that?"

"Mostly trial and error. But I read a book years ago that said that most sociopaths have mommy issues. So I started to talk like his mom."

Shane stared at her. "That was smart."

Gena blushed under his praise. "Thanks."

"I'm gonna go talk to Tom and Sabine, see how they feel about sticking around. I'll be back in a few. "

Gena nodded. "I'll probably be in the shower when you get back."

"Oh, I won't take too long then." Gena sputtered at his smirk and threw her shirt at him.

"Get going!" Shane laughed and knocked on the door, stepping in.

Shane found Sabine sitting on the bed, wearing a red nightgown.

"Hey." He said. She smiled, and patted the spot next to her.

"Hey Shane. Come on in, Tom just stepped out for a bit." Shane sat down, trying to keep his distance.

"I wanted to see if y'all were still planning on sticking it out here."

"I think so. I mean we don't have any other option, do we?"

Shane didn't take the bait. "No, you don't."

"Here," Sabine moved to pull something from his collar, "you had a leaf in your shirt." She flew the leaf-Shane didn't quite see it- and rested her hand on his knee. Shane shifted slightly, uncomfortable. Suddenly, he saw the situation for what it was: a seduction.

"Shane," Sabined mewled, "I feel so alone. I mean, Tom's great but he's so young. I need someone…experienced."

Sabine began to move closer to Shane, pressing her breast against his chest. Shane grew pissed with himself when he didn't move. "I need someone to take care of me. Can you do that?" She leaned close, and without his refusal, kissed him.

Shane returned it, listening to the mocking in his head. _You don't deserve Gena. You're useless; you can never be a great man like Rick. Just take what's right in front of you. Come on, Aren't you man enough?_

Hearing the Dark Voice again, Shane pulled back, pushing Sabine roughly.

"No," he said, and composed himself. He moved to the other bed, putting distance between them. "Sabine, darlin', you deserve much more than me. You already have someone to look out for you, to care for you. The way I do with Gena. And I think you know that."

Sabine pulled the strap of her nightgown up, and slowly broke down. "But I'm broken, Shane. I'm trash. I'll never be good enough for him."

"You're not trash, Sabine. Just let go of those feelings, they're only holding you back. Once you let them rule you, they win. Tell Tom how you feel. What the worst thing that can happen? It's already the end of the world."

Sabine laughed a bit and nodded, trying to compose herself. "Thanks, Shane."

He nodded and crossed the room, uncomfortable with the heavy emotion in the room.

"See you tomorrow then."

"See you, Shane."

"Good luck. Not that you'll need it." Sabine nodded and smiled gratefully. Shane slipped out.

Gena was sitting on the bed in her towel, rubbing lotion onto her legs when Shane came back in.

"They gave us disposable razors _and_ travel sized lotion. It almost makes me want to stay!" She looked up at Shane, who was staring at her again.

"Shane? You okay?"

"I think I love you." He blurted out.

Gena blinked. _Is this real? _She thought; she supposed it was. _Don't leave him standing there, you hussy!_

"I think I love you too."

Shane released a breath and crossed the room in two strides. She held up her hand.

"Blinds." She whispered. He crossed over and close them, flicking off the guard watching below. He then scooped up Biddy and put her in the bathroom, ignoring her growl as he closed the door.

Finally, he was all hers. He stood in front of her, running his hands through her wet hair. She tilted up her face and he kissed her, clasping her tightly against his chest. She moaned and twined her arms around his neck, surrendering completely.

"You're wearing too many clothes." She said as he kissed her throat. He chuckled and helped her take off his shirt, throwing it across the room. He then picked her up and tossed her on the bed. Gena landed and turned, losing her towel in the process. Shane stared at her as he began to undress and Gena rose up on her elbows, not wanting to miss an inch. Her nipples pearled and she grew wet as he stepped out of his pants. _Missing an inch? No chance. _Shane was a big man, in every sense of the word.

Shane laid himself over her and began to kiss her again, until she was an incoherent puddle of need. He reached her nipples and began to lick and suck. Gena moaned and held onto his head, letting her head fall back. He kissed down her belly again, heading to his favorite spot in the world. He dove in, lapping up every inch and twirling his tongue on all the right spots. Gena cried out, digging her nails into his shoulders and riding out her climax. Shane came back up and watched her face, loving the way she utterly surrendered to him. He was the hardest he had ever been, nearly bursting with the need to be inside her.

Gena slowly came back to Earth just as Shane slid inside her. She adjusted her hips, accommodating his large size. He froze.

"Is this okay?" He asked softly.

"Don't stop." Gena gasped out.

Shane felt a rush of male pride as he began to thrust, finding his rhythm. Gena moaned and dragged her nails across his back, moving with him. She _loved _the feel of him on top of her, inside her, stretching her…she felt herself letting go, this time taking Shane with her.

Afterwards they lay under the covers, Gena sprawled on top of him. She played with his "22" necklace, thinking.

"Did you mean what you said?" She asked quietly.

"I did. I'm not a perfect man, Gena. I make the tough choices. I've done things I will never be proud of. But meeting you made me see the world different. You made me believe that humanity wasn't completely lost."

Gena swooned all over again, and kissed him on the chest. "I love you, Shane. You made me feel safe again."

Gena woke slowly to the sound of aggravated mewing. She opened her eyes and found herself tucked into Shane, his chest against her back. She got out of bed slowly, not wanting to wake him; he didn't sleep enough as is. She threw Shane's shirt, inhaling deeply, and went to the bathroom to let Biddy out, rolling her eyes as the cat pounced out.

"Drama queen." She muttered as she pooled some food into the cat's bowl. When she turned, she saw Shane was up and grinning at her. She tucked her hair back, blushing.

"Good morning."

"Morning. You know, there's something I like about seeing you in my shirt."

"Oh yeah?" She asked crawling into bed.

"Yeah. Not how 'bout we start the day off right?" He took her into his arms as she drew off his shirt.

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Well, I could start here…" Shane said, kissing her neck.

"Mmm, good plan." Gena raised his face and kissed him. He drew one hand from her waist to her chest, lightly rolling a nipple. Gena's breath hitched. Shane chuckled and kissed down her neck, rolling on top of her….

The door slammed open. Gena gasped and buried herself into Shane. Shane shielded her with his body and turned to see who it was, mad as all get out.

Francis was leaning against the doorjamb. "Morning." He said.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Shane yelled. Francis walked into the room, picking up Biddy.

"Well, I feel bad about the way I acted last night. It was terribly unprofessional. I wanted to make it up to you all by giving you a personal tour of the place. You'll get an insider's view on how it all works."

"You can't barge in like that, Francis." Gena said, out from under Shane and holding the sheet to her chest.

"Yes, I see I was interrupting something. Once again, you have my apologies."

_So sincere,_ Gena thought._ Almost brings a tear to my eye. _

"You're going to have to give us some time. How about we meet you in the lobby when we're ready?"

"Yes, fine. We will see you in the lounge in half an hour."

Francis put Biddy on the table and left, waving the two guards at the door away.

"Don't make me wait." He called out, closing the door.

When he was gone, Shane sighed and rolled off of Gena. She kissed him softly on the lips and got up, heading towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower before we go. Do you need anything?" She asked.

Shane looked at her naked body and groaned, throwing his arm over his eyes. _Yeah, you. _But since that was temporarily off the menu, he shook his head. Minutes later, he heard the water turn on. Because of the time limit, he couldn't even join her. He rolled out of bed and threw on some clothes, grudgingly starting the day.

"As you probably saw last night, the town is most active during the evening. That's when everyone is home from work. We have three restaurants and two clothing stores, located at each end of the block."

Three hours later, Shane still regretted getting out of bed. Francis was giving the tour as promised, and Gena was fascinated. Every minute or so, she would throw out a question, and Francis lapped up the attention. _It was interesting, _he admitted. Francis had created a near perfect infrastructure here. But Shane could be doing about 20 other things instead of wasting his time on the tour, and 15 of them involved Gena.

"And how do they pay for such things?" Gena asked.

"We have a system here; every three hours of labor equals one token. The tokens are our currency now." Francis pulled out a poker chip from his pocket that had a hole driven through it. He held it out to Gena, who took it and ran her thumb over it.

"That was very smart, Francis." She said absently. Francis glowed under her praise, shooting a triumphant expression at Shane. Shane's jaw ticked.

Gena didn't miss the exchange. She had noticed them exchanging this territorial back and forth ever since the tour started. She simply chose to ignore it. She had enough to worry about, and she was not about to bother with their cavemen tendencies.

She handed the token back to Francis, who held his hands up. "Keep it." He said, "Go buy yourself something from the café."

"Thank you, Francis." He nodded, and went back to the tour.

They went into a sample home next. It was comprised of a small kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms.

"We only allow families of four or less in, due to population control. The kitchens are so small because no one really uses them; every other dinner is held in the dining hall, free of charge, and people go to the restaurants for other meals."

Gena quickly walked through the home, uncomfortable with the sterility inside. Usually in homes there are messes or knick knacks hanging on the walls. This home had nothing, a ghost of what it once was.

They moved onto the police station next. It was the town's old headquarters, revamped with booby traps and barbed fences. While every other part of the tour had been interesting, this was just haunting. Gena kept her head down as she passed the cells, which were filled to the limit with gaunt people staring at her.

"Why are these people in jail, Francis?"

"Well, that cell is for thieves, the other is for crimes against morality, like cheating on their spouses and such, and the third is for traitors." Gena looked at the "traitors", which included three men and a woman. They were emaciated and had bruises covering their body.

"What's going to happen to them?" She asked quietly. Francis laughed.

"Oh, there's going to be a public execution next Sunday. That's what you pigs deserve, isn't it? What does a pig say?"

They all began to oink loudly, scared beyond comprehension. Francis turned and led the group out.

"Now let's go see the fields. They truly are my best invention."

Gena looked back at the prisoners sitting in the neglected cells. They were completely vacant, only showing relief as Francis left the building. Gena felt nauseous at the lack of humanity in this building.

"Francis, I'm going to have to stop the tour early." Shane said, noticing her reaction.

"We're heading back to the hotel."

"But you haven't even seen the fields!" Francis whined.

"We'll take a rain check on that. Gena doesn't feel well."

"Are you pregnant?" Francis came up to her. Shane slipped her into his arms, positioning himself between the two. Gena shook her head profusely.

"I think it's the heat," she lied. "It's still pretty hot out for October."

"Yes, indeed. Well, you two _need _to come to dinner tonight. It's an officers event only. We have them every month to keep up the moral. No," Francis interrupted Gena's protestations, "I insist. Six o clock. I'll send something for you to wear. Size six, right?" Francis ran his eyes up her body, and Gena turned into Shane.

"Thank you, Francis. We will see you tonight."

He nodded and started to walk away. "See you then, Iphigenia."

After they returned to the hotel, Gena walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She tried to erase the image of the prisoner's faces from her mind as she walked back into the room. Shane had a small pack of tools out of his weapons duffel, and was working on the door.

"How come they haven't taken your weapons?" She wondered.

"Arrogance. They know I wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything."

She walked over to him, sitting on the chair and petting Biddy.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Fixing the damn lock."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Gena twirled in the mirror, looking at her reflection one more time. The dress that Francis sent over was actually nice, not the napkin-sized monstrosity she had pictured in her head. It was black and made of chiffon, sleeveless with a high collar. The two sides had small cutout at the waist, showing a little skin.

"What do you think?" She asked Shane, who was lounging on the bed in jeans and a green button down. He had been perusing through her mythology book, but he put it down to look at her.

The way his eyes darkened made her suddenly warm.

"I like it." He said, his voice growing husky.

Gena rolled her eyes, trying to maintain a semblance of dignity.

"This is why men give terrible fashion advice. Your eyes have not moved from my breasts, Shane Walsh."

"That's not true! Your ass also looks great."

Gena laughed walked over the bed, straddling him. He rested his hands on her hips.

"You ready for this, Genie?" He asked quietly.

Gena wasn't sure if she was, but she took comfort in knowing that if she said no, Shane would move hell to make sure she didn't go. She kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I'll be fine. What about you, Shane? I know this is not exactly what you want to be doing tonight."

"Well, you're right about that. But I'll get through it. We'll be okay."

Gena looked him carefully in the eye; he returned her gaze. Finally, he sighed and put his lips to hers. Gena kissed back eagerly, conveying that she was truly okay. Slowly, the kiss turned needy; Gena could feel him hardening under her. She began to move against him rhythmically, and smiled when he caught his breath. His hands began to travel up the sides of the dress, leaving a trail of fire.

There was a knock on the door. Gena huffed and sat back, aggravated; she was getting tired of the interruptions.

"WHAT?" Shane yelled.

"We've come to retrieve you for the dinner. You have fifteen minutes."

Gena laughed at his expression; he looked ready to murder the man one the other side of the door.

"Poor Shane." She said, kissing him. "I'll make it up to you later."

She climbed off and checked her hair in the mirror, fluffing the curls for the last time. She pet Biddy and poured her some more food.

"Ready?" She asked Shane, grabbing her jacket.

He nodded and opened the door for her.

"Let's go."

The town hall was as creepy as Gena recalled. Someone had put a long table in Francis's throne room, creating a makeshift dining hall. Gena and Shane were the last to arrive, and as they had entered the room, conversation stopped. The men, who had been conversing intently with each other, had all turned to stare at her. Their looks were either sick lust or scornful hate; sometimes, there were both. Gena turned herself into Shane, kicking herself for agreeing to the gathering. Clearly, they were there to be inspected.

"My dear Iphigenia."

Francis walked toward her, arms outstretched. Shane stepped in front of her slightly, cutting off the hug. Francis's lips thinned; he obviously did not like being usurped in front of his friends. Before the situation could escalate, Gena stepped out from behind Shane, although she maintained the distance between them.

"Hello, Francis. Thank you for inviting us."

Francis shook himself out of his sour mood and became the gracious host once again.

"Of course. We have these dinners often, and it is only natural that we invite our honored guests!"

"What about Tom and Sabine? Are they not 'honored'?" Shane asked, poking the bear. Gena pinched him.

"And where is May Ella?" She asked Francis, distracting once again.

"Unfortunately, May Ella was unable to join us tonight. She was feeling under the weather."

"Oh, well that's a shame." Gena said, for manner's sake. She actually couldn't care less about how May Ella was doing.

"Yes, well. How about I introduce you to our guests?" Francis said.

"That sounds great, Francis." Gena said, prepared to meet the firing squad.

Dinner was a haunting affair. Francis ruled at the head of the long table, with Gena on his close right. Shane had been seated at the other end of the table, much to his obvious irritation. Francis's "people" were sitting on each side of the table. Instead of a rowdy feast as Gena had imagined, it was a quiet meal. The men hardly talked at all, and whenever they did they would look over at Francis immediately, as if to check that they said the right thing. The man sitting to Gena's right had spoke to her once. He was a tall man, much like Nosferatu from the ancient German films. His name was Owen, and he was in charge of the jail.

"So, Miss Peters," Owen began, "What do you think of Francis's settlement here? Has it blown away your expectations?"

Gena smiled weakly at the man. "You could say that." She replied.

"I heard that you have been on a tour of the place. What was your favorite part?"

The man's voice was silky, too smooth; it made her wince.

"I thought everything was fascinating." She said. The man nodded.

"Yes, it truly is."

He stared at Gena, and looked down and swallowed. She felt like a bug under a microscope. She looked over at Shane, who looked like he was about to pull out a rifle and shoot everyone. Gena smiled slightly at him, trying to calm him down.

"Iphigenia, I wanted to talk to you about a job. You see, my secretary has taken ill suddenly, and there is a position open."

"Sounds like a lot of women are getting sick around you, buddy." Shane said from across the table. Francis narrowed his eyes, but continued on.

"I was wondering if you would step in, for the time being. It would only be until I find a replacement of course." Francis smiled at her, creating a cold slither that ran down her spine.

"I...well, I'll have to think about it, Francis."

"Yes, think it over; I'll come by tomorrow for an answer."

"I might need more time. I'll need to discuss it with Shane."

"I was under the impression that you didn't answer to him." Francis said quietly.

"He doesn't own you after all."

"No one owns me, Francis." She said sternly, hoping he would get the message; naturally, he did not. He blinked and flashed a smug smile at Shane across the table. Knowing that this grade school behavior was going to get him killed, Gena saved Francis from himself.

"Francis, this evening has been lovely. Thank you so much for having us. Unfortunately, Shane and I do need to get back to the hotel."

"We haven't even gotten to desert!" Francis whined.

"Too bad." Shane barked out, already standing.

Francis began to pout, and Gena had the urge to smack the expression off of his face. He looked like a spoiled child whose favorite toy had just been taken away. _And this was the man who ruled a town,_ she thought. Gena excused herself and started to rise from her chair. Shane was already there, helping her out and wrapping his arm around her lower back in a predatory gesture.

"It was nice meeting all of you." Gena said, waving over her shoulder. The men just sat immobile in their chairs, unsure how to process the latest turn of events.

The two walked out of the room, feeling everyone's eyes on them. They stayed silent as they walked the couple of blocks back to their hotel, mindful that they were not totally alone; guards were placed in sporadic places on the street, staring at them as they walked by.

They finally reached their hotel room. Shane entered first and turned on the table light, standing with his back to her. Gena entered the room and walked over to him; she could see the tension simmering in his body.

"Shane, I don't want to take the job. It's probably the last thing I want to do right now. But I have to. I have to obey Francis, for the time being."

"For the time being?" Shane spat out. "And how long do you think that's going to be? You do realize that his secretary didn't get sick, right? He killed her!"

"I realize that, Shane! But don't you think it'd be more dangerous to disobey him? We need to play by his rules now. But as soon as we see an opportunity, we take it and leave."

Shane was breathing heavily, his hands on his hips. Staying here went against everything he stood for, but unfortunately he didn't have a choice. He had to go along, for now.

"You have no idea how much I want to smash his head in." Shane said quietly.

"Believe me, I'm starting to."


End file.
